California refinance closing costs calculator
On a $325,000 conventional refinance in California, this calculator estimates $5,338 in closing costs before prepaids and escrow deposits. California charges no transfer tax on a refinance, but the new deed of trust pays the state's $75 SB2 fee.
What's different about refinancing in California
No transfer tax on a refinance
California's documentary transfer tax is charged when real estate changes hands. Revenue and Taxation Code §11921 exempts loans: the tax "shall not apply to any instrument in writing given to secure a debt." A refinance records a new deed of trust, which is that kind of instrument, so the transfer tax line in the estimate above is $0.
The $75 SB2 fee
Since January 1, 2018, Government Code §27388.1, added by SB 2, has charged $75 on every real estate document a county records, up to $225 per parcel per transaction. The exemptions cover documents that already pay transfer tax and transfers of a home to an owner-occupant. A refinance deed of trust is neither, so the fee applies. In Los Angeles County it is $75 of the $104 it costs to record a one-page deed of trust.
Recording fees by county
Every county on the list below charges $3 for each page after the first. Totals differ because counties add a real estate fraud fee under Government Code §27388, from $3 to $10, and some also collect $2 under §27388.2. For a 15-page deed of trust the nine counties range from $134 to $146. The calculator uses $140 for all of California; if your county's figure is different, type it into the recording line.
Prop 13 and your tax bill
A refinance does not reset your assessed value. Revenue and Taxation Code §62(c) says a change in ownership does not include "the creation, assignment, termination, or reconveyance of a security interest." Paying off the old loan and recording the new one both fall under that rule, so your Prop 13 base stays where it is. Title changes are different. The Board of Equalization says adding someone as a joint tenant does not trigger reappraisal as long as you remain one of the joint tenants, while adding someone as a tenant-in-common is a change in ownership unless an exclusion applies.
Recording a deed of trust in nine California counties
Recorder fee schedules, checked September 22, 2026. Both columns include the $75 SB2 fee. Deeds of trust run to many pages, so the 15-page column is closer to what a refinance records than the one-page minimum.
| County | 1 page | 15 pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda | $99 | $141 | Fee schedule |
| Contra Costa | $92 | $134 | Fee schedule |
| Los Angeles | $104 | $146 | Fee schedule |
| Orange | $97 | $139 | Fee schedule |
| Riverside | $101 | $143 | Fee schedule |
| Sacramento | $95 | $137 | Fee schedule |
| San Bernardino | $101 | $143 | Fee schedule |
| San Diego | $92 | $134 | Fee schedule |
| San Francisco | $92 | $134 | Fee schedule |
Los Angeles County, line by line
From the county's recording fee bulletin:
| Fee | 1 page | 15 pages |
|---|---|---|
| Recording: $15 first page, $3 each additional | $15 | $57 |
| Real estate fraud (district attorney) | $5 | $5 |
| Fraud notification | $7 | $7 |
| SB2 | $75 | $75 |
| AB 1466 | $2 | $2 |
| Total | $104 | $146 |
Typical California refinance closing costs by loan amount
Conventional loan with the calculator's California defaults and no discount points. Prepaid interest, taxes and the initial escrow deposit are left out.
| Loan amount | Closing costs | Share of loan |
|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $3,938 | 1.97% |
| $300,000 | $5,088 | 1.70% |
| $400,000 | $6,088 | 1.52% |
| $500,000 | $7,088 | 1.42% |
Origination is 1% of the loan and grows with it. Most other lines are flat: appraisal $600, escrow $450, tax service $150, recording $140. Lender's title insurance steps from $550 to $700 above $250,000. That is why the total shrinks as a share of the loan as the loan gets bigger. The full list of lines and how each is set is in the main calculator's methodology.
Common questions
How much does it cost to refinance in California?
With the calculator's California defaults, a $325,000 conventional refinance comes to $5,338 before prepaids, about 1.6% of the loan. At $200,000 the total is $3,938 (2.0%); at $500,000 it is $7,088 (1.4%). Origination at 1% is the largest line. Once you have a Loan Estimate, type its figures into the calculator line by line to check the total.
Do you pay transfer tax when you refinance in California?
No. Revenue and Taxation Code §11921 says the documentary transfer tax does not apply to "any instrument in writing given to secure a debt." The deed of trust recorded at a refinance is that kind of instrument. The tax applies when property changes hands, as in a sale, so the transfer tax line stays at $0 for a California refinance.
What is the $75 SB2 fee on a refinance?
It is a state fee on recorded real estate documents, set by Government Code §27388.1 from January 1, 2018. The county collects $75 per document, up to $225 per parcel per transaction. Transfers that pay transfer tax and transfers to an owner-occupant are exempt; a refinance deed of trust is not, so it pays the fee.
Does refinancing trigger a property tax reassessment in California?
No. Revenue and Taxation Code §62(c) excludes "the creation, assignment, termination, or reconveyance of a security interest" from a change in ownership. Paying off the old loan and recording the new one are both covered, so the assessed value you have under Prop 13 does not change because you refinanced.
Can I add someone to the title when I refinance in California?
You can, but how you add them matters for property tax. The Board of Equalization says adding a joint tenant does not cause reappraisal as long as you remain one of the joint tenants. Adding someone as a tenant-in-common is a change in ownership unless an exclusion applies. Ask the county assessor before closing if the title will change.
Why is my recording fee different from the estimate?
The calculator uses $140 for every California county. In the nine counties we checked, recording a deed of trust costs $92 to $104 for one page and $134 to $146 for 15 pages, and each extra page adds $3. If the refinance records more than one document, each pays its own recording fee and its own $75 SB2 fee, up to $225 (§27388.1).
Sources
- Revenue and Taxation Code §11921 — transfer tax does not apply to instruments securing a debt
- Revenue and Taxation Code §62 — what is not a change in ownership
- Government Code §27388.1 — the $75 SB2 fee and its exemptions
- Board of Equalization: change in ownership FAQ — joint tenants and tenants-in-common
- Los Angeles County recording fees and the fee schedules of the other counties linked in the table above
Checked September 22, 2026.
Will the savings cover these costs?
Take your California total to the breakeven calculator and see the month the lower payment has paid the closing costs back.